Track Listing

1. Coyote
2. Amelia
3. Furry Sings The Blues
4. Strange Boy
5. Hejira
6. Song For Sharon
7. Black Crow
8. Blue Motel Room
9. Refuge Of The Roads

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15664 in Music
• Released on: 1987-08-21
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
After the expanded instrumental scale and sonic experimentation of Court and Spark and The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Joni Mitchell reverses that flow for the more intimate, interior music on Hejira, which retracts the arranging style to focus on Mitchell's distinctive acoustic guitar and piano, and the brilliant, lyrical bass fantasias of fretless bass innovator Jaco Pastorius. Known for his furious, sometimes rococo figures beneath the music of Weather Report, Pastorius is tamed by Mitchell's cooler, more deliberate ballads; these meditations coax a far gentler, subdued lyricism from Pastorius, whose intricate bass counterpoints Mitchell's coolly elegant singing, especially on the sublime "Amelia," which transforms the mystery of Amelia Earhart into a parable of both feminism and romantic self-discovery. This isn't Mitchell at her most obviously ambitious, yet the depth of feeling, poetic reach and musical confidence make this among the finest works in a very fine canon. --Sam Sutherland

CD Description
Joni Mitchell draws freely on her heroes and influences, and in her turn inspires and informs the work of countless others; thus are the genes of our musical heritage passed on tonew generations. The love of jazz glimpsed in COURT AND SPARK and THE HISSING OF SUMMER LAWNS is wanton in HEJIRA. The arrangements are loose and the melodies seductively free-flowing. The lyrics, too, have broken free of rigid verse and rhyme structures and tend towards prose poetry. The cloak of introspection that weighs down on much of her work is lighter here; though far from mainstream. The chiming flanged guitar throughout, is inspired.

Customer Reviews

Masterpiece, masterpiece, masterpiece
I have been trying to make a compilation of the best 20 Joni Mitchell songs, but this will now be very hard as 'Hejira' will take up nine spaces. I have heard 'Blue', 'Ladies Of The Canyon' and 'The Hissing Of Summer Lawns' so far and I have to say that out of all of them, the beautiful 'Hejira' has to be the best.
My favourite songs on the album are the uptempo 'Coyote', the emotional 'Amelia' (probably the best track), the dreamy title track, the lengthy but awesome 'Song For Sharon' and the closing 'Refuge Of The Roads'.
Lyrics here are fully amazing and the singing isn't bad either - in fact, some songs on 'Hejira' boast the cream of Mitchell's vocal talents. The musical accompaniment, though, has to be the best thing about 'Hejira'. The guitar parts on 'Coyote' and particularly the title track are breathtaking - and Mitchell's guitar here is at its pinnacle.
The other songs on the album are less important, but still very, very good. 'Black Crow' is a great uptempo song, 'Furry Sings The Blues' has great harmonica by Neil Young and 'Blue Motel Room' is a cool jazz number.
You may find that 'Hejira' is too long in parts and might not have strong melodies upon first listening, but you may find, as I do, that after a couple of listens 'Hejira' will be one of the most prized albums in your collection.

Joni's best
This is without doubt my favourite album of all time. Superb lyrics (the title track is sheer poetry) combine with a wonderful sense of space and economy in the music, I go back to this album time and time again and always find something new. It is challenging at first, and Blue arguably offers a more accessible introduction to the music of Joni Mitchell, but this is superb music. Buy it!

No collection would be complete without this.....!
I first heard this album in 1977 and I feel privaliged to have heard it at the time. What this album would sound like now if I heard it for the first time, I don't know, but one thing is certain for me, this is one of the best albums from that golden age of music(1965-1980) and probably in the top ten (if you like lists). I agree with the other reviewers that the musician ship and rare beauty of the lyrics are almost unsurpassed. Amelia and Song For Sharon are without peers. The lyrics are poetic and the music spacious yet lean with a slight jazzy hint from the fretless bass. Sadly Jaco Pastorious (Bass) was killed in Forida not so long ago and this album is a showcase for his work too. I am surprised that more people do not rate this as their favourite Joni Mitchell, but in fairness to them, a word of caution, it is a little unusual and takes some getting into and it is to an extent a "musicians" album. I'd also recommend Don Juans Reckless Daughter, though it is slightly less accessible, but of the same period and style.